House Republicans Keep Promise on Health Care Repeal, Step Back from Others

WASHINGTON, Jan. 7, 2011— -- House Republicans, in power for less than one week, appear poised to make good on their high-profile promise to vote to repeal the new health care reform law.

Legislation for repeal cleared a procedural hurdle Friday, setting the stage for a final up-or-down vote next week.

But in advancing the measure, Republicans also seemed to step back from other high-profile promises made in the Pledge to America, the document which outlines their intended governing agenda.

The Republican pledge decries the Democrats' record of forbidding amendments and open debate on costly legislation, and promises to "let any lawmaker -- Democrat or Republican -- offer amendments to reduce spending" on spending bills.

Yet, rules approved Thursday for floor debate on the repeal measure preclude any amendments, blocking Democrats from forcing votes on individual aspects of the behemoth law.

"This is nothing but a gag rule," said New Jersey Democratic Rep. Frank Pallone of the strict rules.

But House Speaker John Boehner said Thursday there was no need for amendments or debate. "I promised a more open process, I didn't promise that every single bill was going to be an open bill," he told reporters.

Text of the "Repealing the Job-Killing Health Care Law Act" also appears to leave unfulfilled a much-touted GOP pledge to include a "clause citing the specific constitutional authority upon which the bill is justified."

There is no mention of the Constitution in the two-paragraph bill, though an explanation is noted in the official Congressional Record.

GOP promises to do whatever it takes to slash the federal budget deficit also seemed to take a hit this week when the Congressional Budget Office estimated that repeal of the health care law would cost $230 billion over the next decade.

Republicans have promised to "cut-as-you-go," pairing estimated spending increases with cuts to offset the cost. The repeal measure includes no offsets to the CBO's estmated cost.

House Speaker John Boehner said Thursday he believes the CBO, a nonpartisan group long considered by both parties to be an impartial referee on budget matters, was manipulated by Democrats to produce a false estimate of savings in the health care reform law.